Slammin' Truth

From love poems to memoir-fueled writings, Richard Negri loves to tell a good story. His spoken-word songs don't imitate life; they mirror it. The 35-year-old Coral Springs native behind the Abstract Truth started writing in elementary school and performing at 17. Negri's unadulterated poetry-slammer delivery amplifies his raw connection to...

By Leah Gliniewicz

May 8, 2003

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From love poems to memoir-fueled writings, Richard Negri loves to tell a good story. His spoken-word songs don't imitate life; they mirror it. The 35-year-old Coral Springs native behind the Abstract Truth started writing in elementary school and performing at 17. Negri's unadulterated poetry-slammer delivery amplifies his raw connection to the audience, prompting impromptu jam sessions from those so inclined, and his gritty diction turns out unfettered vocalese. His latest release, Meditations on a Downbeat: Words Spoken Through Jazz, is Negri's emulation of bebop, featuring his musical mentor, veteran bassist Leonard Gaskin. Negri and the Abstract Truth perform at 10 p.m. Wednesday, May 7, at Tobacco Road, 626 S. Miami Ave., Miami, 305-374-1198. Also at 7 p.m. Thursday, May 8, at the Wallflower Gallery, 10 NE Third St., Miami, 305-579-0069.

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